Vehicle periphery monitoring device

• US 8,768,575 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Okamura, Ryuji, Hiei, Yu, Sobue, Yuka, Yoshioka, Chika
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): MELTON, TODD M
• Application Number:
  US13/508,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20140012464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 348/148
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/20 Linear translation of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting

Abstract

The recognizability of a vehicle peripheral environment may be enhanced. A vehicle periphery monitoring device is to monitor the periphery of a vehicle. The vehicle periphery monitoring device includes an imaging unit that obtains a plurality of peripheral images by imaging the periphery of the vehicle, a display unit that displays the plurality of peripheral images imaged in the imaging unit, and an image control unit that controls the plurality of peripheral images displayed in the display unit. The image control unit varies a distance between the plurality of peripheral images displayed in the display unit. As a result, sensory understanding of a vehicle peripheral environment by a driver may be enhanced, thereby enhancing the recognizability of the vehicle peripheral environment.

Claims

1. A vehicle periphery monitoring device for monitoring the periphery of a vehicle, comprising:

an imaging unit that obtains a plurality of peripheral images including a peripheral image of a left rear side of the vehicle and a peripheral image of a right rear side of the vehicle by imaging the periphery of the vehicle;

a display unit that displays the plurality of peripheral images imaged in the imaging unit separately from one another without synthesis; and

an image control unit that controls the plurality of peripheral images displayed in the display unit,

wherein the image control unit varies a distance between the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle which are displayed adjacent to each other on the display unit, and an angle of view in each of the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle,

the distance between the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle is set as a first distance when each of the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle is a narrow angle, and

the distance between the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle is set as a second distance smaller than the first distance when each of the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle is a wide angle.

2. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the image control unit varies the distance between the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle in accordance with a traveling situation of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein the image control unit varies a balance between the angles of view of the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle in accordance with a turning situation of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle correspond to a pair of vehicle peripheral environments reflected in a left side mirror or a right side mirror.

5. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the image control unit varies a balance between the angles of view of the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle in accordance with a turning situation of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 5, wherein the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle correspond to a pair of vehicle peripheral environments reflected in a left side mirror or a right side mirror.

7. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral image of the left rear side of the vehicle and the peripheral image of the right rear side of the vehicle correspond to a pair of vehicle peripheral environments reflected in a left side mirror or a right side mirror.